(a) A reviewing officer shall review the respondent's written response. The reviewing officer shall be a person who has not been involved in the reason to believe finding.
(b) The reviewing officer shall review the reason to believe finding with supporting records and the respondent's written response with supporting records. The reviewing officer may request supplemental information from the respondent and/or the Commission staff. The respondent shall submit the supplemental information to the reviewing officer within a time specified by the reviewing officer. The reviewing officer will be entitled to draw an adverse inference from the failure by the respondent to submit the supplemental information.
(c) All records required to be submitted by the respondents pursuant to this section and § 111.35 should be submitted in the form of affidavits or declarations.
(d) If the Commission staff, after the respondent files a written response pursuant to § 111.35, forwards any additional documents pertaining to the matter to the reviewing officer for his or her examination, the reviewing officer shall also furnish a copy of the records to the respondents.
(e) Upon completion of the review, the reviewing officer shall forward a written recommendation to the Commission along with all records required under this section and 11 CFR 111.32 and 111.35.
(f) The reviewing office shall also forward a copy of the recommendation to the respondent. The respondent may file with the Commission Secretary a written response to the recommendation within ten (10) days of transmittal of the recommendation. This response may not raise any arguments not raised in the respondent's original written response or not directly responsive to the reviewing officer's recommendation.
[65 FR 31794, May 19, 2000, as amended at 89 FR 218, Jan. 2, 2024]